a. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains generally to nail pulling devices and specifically to nail pulling devices incorporated into a hammer or other striking tool.
b. Description of the Background
A hammer is the most ubiquitous tool of the carpentry trade. Carpenters use hammers to both drive and remove nails. Carpenters are also known for their creativity and ability to use tools in various ways to solve problems as they come up. For example, even though a traditional claw hammer may have a conventional striking face, a carpenter may use the side of the hammer to drive a nail or strike a tool in specific instances. The more options a carpenter has for using a tool, the more the tool will be used.
Removing nails is a task for which a carpenter may use several different tools, including a claw hammer, a “cat's paw” nail remover, various pry bars, and other tools. Each tool is suited to specific applications depending on the access to the nail and force required to remove the nail from the wood. For example, a nail positioned near the end of a board may be difficult to remove because there may not be enough room at the end of the board for a conventional claw hammer.
Further, the leverage of a conventional claw hammer may be insufficient to remove difficult nails, such as long nails in hardwoods. In such a case, the carpenter may resort to a second tool, such as a pry bar or cat's paw nail remover.
It would therefore be advantageous to provide a device and method whereby a conventional hammer may be used to remove stubborn nails in certain positions that were otherwise difficult or impossible. It would be further advantageous if such a system and method were simple to manufacture and very durable.